Image source, Reuters

King Charles III's first official visit since the Queen's funeral has come to an end.

The King offered his "warmest congratulations" to Scotland's newest city and said conferring the honour on Dunfermline would "gladden my dear mother's heart".

He spoke of his mother's "deep love for Scotland", describing it as "one of the foundations of her life".

The King highlighted the new city's "immense significance" in Scottish history as the birthplace of entrepreneur and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

He said: "It is my hope that all those who live in, or who hail from, this very special place will feel a real sense of pride at this latest chapter in our rich history, and that this new distinction will not merely burnish the legacy of the past but will also brighten the prospect of our future."

Hundreds of locals turned out to greet the royal couple, with Charles telling them: "As you celebrate your well-deserved status as Scotland's new city, I can only offer my warmest congratulations, and my heartfelt wishes for the years to come."

King Charles then went on to reception at Holyrood Palace that celebrated the British South Asian community.

Daniela Relph
BBC royal correspondent, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

The courtyard of the Palace of Holyroodhouse has been full of cameras set in selfie mode as guests take advantage of the photo opportunity.

Everyone here is attending the King and Queen Consort’s Reception for the British South Asian Community that is now under way in the Great Gallery.

It is the sort of event that is very much in the King’s thinking as he plans this early part of his reign - he has already pledged to protect the “diversity of the country” while monarch.

On the guest list today – the Mayor of London, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the music producer Naughty Boy alongside representatives of the NHS, Arts, Education and the Armed Forces.

Aileen Clarke
BBC Scotland News in Dunfermline

Image source, PA Media

King Charles is in Scotland this lunchtime on his first public engagement since the Queen's funeral.

This morning he was in Dunfermline, now he is in Edinburgh with the Queen Consort, hosting a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, to celebrate British South Asian communities

I was out on the street when the King arrived here at Dunfermline city chambers and there was seven or eight people in front of me, between me and the barriers.

People really turned out in numbers around the city chambers and on the walk to the Abbey.

They were really very excited. He came out of the car, he went for a little wander around, there were handshaking. People I think were quite surprised at that he would come up to folk and have a bit of a chat.

People had turned out because, yes, they wanted to see the King, they thought it was a bit of history.

Image source, PA Media

The King and Queen Consort are now holding a reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

While the late Queen Elizabeth and her son King Charles are said to love spending time at Balmoral in Aberdeenshire, it is the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh that is actually the official Royal residence in Scotland.

It was at Holyroodhouse that the Queen's coffin lay at rest when it arrived in Edinburgh following its 175-mile journey from Balmoral three weeks ago.

And it was from the Edinburgh palace that the new King and the rest of the Royal family began their walk up the Royal Mile to St Giles' Cathedral for a service in remembrance of the Queen.

King Charles returned to Balmoral for the official period of mourning after his mother's funeral in London but now he is back in Edinburgh to host a reception to celebrate British South Asian communities.

Holyrood Palace has served as the principal royal residence in Scotland since the 16th century.

The late Queen would spend a week at the palace at the beginning of every summer carrying out a range of official engagements.

The 16th-century historic apartments of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the State Apartments, used for official and state entertaining, are open to the public throughout the year, except when members of the Royal family are in residence.

Image source, Reuters

Daniela Relph
BBC royal correspondent in Edinburgh

So far, Scotland has played a significant part in the reign of King Charles III.

He became King the moment his mother died at her beloved Balmoral.

It was where we first saw him lead his family in the public mourning of her death.

Scotland is where he returned to after the intense public gaze of London and Windsor to complete the official period of Royal Mourning.

And today it is where the King and Queen Consort are carrying out their first official public engagements together.

In Dunfermline – the birthplace of King Charles I – the new King Charles has formally granted it city status.

It is one of a number of places being made cities as part of the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.He’s now coming to Edinburgh and return to Holyroodhouse where just three weeks ago his mother’s coffin was brought. At Holyrood, he will host a reception to celebrate British South Asian communities.

He has already pledged that his reign will “protect the diversity of our country".

There is a poignancy to conducting these first engagements in Scotland – personally and officially.

A place of sadness in recent weeks but also somewhere that holds memories of immense happiness for the royal family over the years.

From here in Scotland today, we will begin to get a sense of the vision King Charles III has for his reign.

King Charles and the Queen Consort are now travelling back from Fife over the Queensferry Crossing to Edinburgh where they will be holding a reception in the great gallery of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

The event will celebrate British South Asian communities.

Up to 300 guests of British Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Nepalese, Bhutanese and Maldivian heritage from across the UK will meet the royal couple.

The occasion will mark the contribution the communities have made to the NHS and the Armed Forces, as well as the arts, media, education and business.

Sean Coughlan
BBC News, royal correspondent

Image source, Reuters

What should we take from King Charles's initial steps as monarch?

Among today’s inaugural events will be a reception in Edinburgh for South Asian communities from across the UK - bringing together people with links to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Sir Anthony Seldon, historian and author, says King Charles has a strong desire to bring together people from different religions, beliefs and ethnic minorities.

"That's very important to him. He wants to be accepted by all faiths, all backgrounds, all classes, and to find his own way to be a unifying figure," says Sir Anthony.

He sees the new King as aspiring to be a figure above short-term party politics, who will stand against "forces which can damage cohesion and community".

During the mourning for the Queen, as he visited various parts of the UK, King Charles came across as an approachable figure, shaking hands with the crowds, in a - literally - more hands-on image of monarchy.

In terms of a new start, however, some members of the family might be looking rather anxiously at the example of a "slimmed-down" monarchy in Denmark - where Queen Margrethe has removed titles from four of her grandchildren, external.

Read more

Katy Scott
BBC Scotland news in Dunfermline

William Richards, 58, had a conversation with the King over the barrier as he approached Dunfermline Abbey.

King Charles shook his hand and also touched his newborn granddaughter Sierra Forrest.

Mr Richards said: “I met him once before at the opening of the Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth carrier ships.

“I’ve worked on the Rosyth dockyards for 40 years and I worked on both of the carrier ships there.

“I had the privilege of meeting the King and his father there, so I wanted to come up today and meet him again with my daughter and granddaughter.

“I showed him my granddaughter and he asked if she was my first and I said she was, and I’m due another from my son in November.

“He was very nice and asked if I still worked in the dockyards when I said how we had already met."

Image source, PA Media

The King left the historic Dunfermline Abbey after about 20 minutes and walked down the steps to St Catherine's Wynd where he met a group of school children who had been selected to speak to the king.

King Charles and Camilla then got back into the limo to travel to Edinburgh for their next engagement at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Image source, PA Media

Royal Commentator and editor of the Crown Chronicles Victoria Howard tells the BBC it is important to remember Charles' s role has shifted: "He is monarch, he is king. He does have to kind of toe that political line.

King Charles will not attend the climate change conference COP27, which is due to be held in Egypt next month, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

It was responding to a story in the Sunday Times, external which claimed Prime Minister Liz Truss had "ordered" the King not to attend.

Ms Howard says: "He can't quite do the same things he did as Prince of Wales."

She goes on to say: "It's an adjustment. It's a shift that we're not used to seeing yet, because this is still so new for Charles being out King."

She says Charles is clearly feeling things out and he was outspoken for 70 years, particularly on climate change.

"It is unusual that we do know where he stands on quite a number of issues including the environment."

No-one could argue with Dunfermline’s claim to royal fame.

The new city in Fife was first recorded in the 11th Century, with the marriage of Malcolm III, King of Scots, and Margaret of Wessex - the future Saint Margaret.

As Queen Consort, Margaret established a new church dedicated to the Holy Trinity, which would later become known as Dunfermline Abbey.

A total of seven kings were buried there between 1093 and 1420, including Robert the Bruce in 1329.

This year, the abbey celebrates its 950th anniversary.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Reuters

The King has now left the City Chambers as he makes the short walk down to Dunfermline Abbey.

The abbey is the gravesite of several Scottish kings and queens, including Robert the Bruce.

Despite the cold, crowds are excitedly awaiting the Royal procession.

Most people behind the barriers are either chatting quietly or silently waiting on the new monarch on this momentous day for the new Fife city.

The pipe band who played before the King's arrival plays a tune, to accompany the King.

Image source, PA Media

King Charles has given a short speech marking his first official public engagement.

He speaks of his pride in sharing the historic moment of Dunfermline being granted city status to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

He says: "There could be no more fitting way to mark my beloved mother’s extraordinary life of service than by granting this honour to a place made famous by its own long and distinguished history, and by the indispensable role it has played in the life of our country.

"Now, of course, we gather to celebrate this great occasion but also to commemorate the life of Her late Majesty, whose deep love for Scotland was one of the foundations of her life.

"From early times, Dunfermline has been of immense significance to Scotland’s - and to this whole island’s - story. It is the birthplace of philanthropists. It is the burial place of Kings and Queens. It has been the scene of events, both secular and sacred, which have shaped our times. Its stones tell the story of the people and the events which have made our country what it is today.

"It is also of course a community. It is my hope that all those who live in, or who hail from, this very special place, will feel a real sense of pride at this latest chapter in our rich history, and that this new distinction will not merely burnish the legacy of the past but will also brighten the prospect of our future.

Katy Scott
BBC Scotland news in Dunfermline

Linda Dalgarno, from Dunfermline, was thrilled to shake the King’s hand as he arrived in the new Fife city.

“It was amazing, she says. “It was so emotional to shake his hand. We weren’t sure if he would come round and see everyone but he did and it was something to remember.

“It’s history for the city.”

Linda hopes the visit could spell positive things for the area in the future.

She says: “Dunfermline becoming a city could maybe draw more people here."

Katy Scott
BBC Scotland news in Dunfermline

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

After greeting the dignitaries such as Nicola Sturgeon, Alister Jack and Provost of Fife Jim Leishman outside the City Chambers, King Charles walked across the cobbles to the waiting crowd.

He spent more than five minutes reaching over the metal barriers to shake the hands of people who had queued to see the new monarch and the Queen Consort.

Image source, PA Media

King Charles has arrived in Dunfermline for his first official engagement after the period of mourning for his mother Queen Elizabeth.

His limo came up the new city's Kirkgate to be greeted by cheering crowds.

The King and Queen Consort waved at the crowds before they were greeted by Lord Lieutenant of Fife, Robert Balfour.

The King met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Secretary of State Alister Jack outside the City Chambers before shaking hands with some of those who were waiting.

Image source, SNS

King Charles and the Queen Consort are in Dunfermline as part of the celebrations to mark its new city status.

They will visit Dunfermline Abbey and the city chambers -- before hosting a reception in Edinburgh.

Fife provost Jim Leishman, who as well as being the city's ceremonial leader also had two spells as manager of Dunfermline Athletic, told BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that he is proud to show off the Kingdom's new city: "Dunfermline Abbey celebrating 950 years, a 15th century abbey, absolutely stunning.

"The historic part of Dunfermline, from the city chambers to the abbey, the King and the Queen Consort are having a wee walk, the people of Dunfermline will love that. Going down to the abbey after he's given us city status."